COUGHLAN URGES HIS ROVERS TO BOUNCE BACK
GRAHAM Coughlan is famous for wearing his heart on his sleeve, but the Bristol Rovers manager took things to a new level after last Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Blackpool.
The Irishman revealed he was so “gutted” that he missed his wife’s birthday party.
Two errors cost Rovers the match at Bloomfield Road. First, goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola conceded a penalty, converted by Jay Spearing, and then Ollie Clarke gave away the ball deep in his own half in the 46th minute, leading to Armand Gnanduillet netting Blackpool’s second.
Said Coughlan: “I was absolutely gutted to be honest considering the six weeks we had. I was gutted last week. I felt for my missus and kids.
“It was my missus’ birthday and I didn’t go home (to Sheffield) last weekend. We had a party (planned) and things like that, but I just couldn’t.
“They probably thought it was better to send me back down here and get involved (doing analysis) of the DVD of the match and things like that.
“It was a weekend destroyer. “I did feel down, but this group, with what they have done this week (in training), they have picked me up, and they motivate me every day of the week because they are a great group to work with.”
Coughlan said there were positives to take from the performance, at Blackpool, but the Gas boss is looking for more consistency in tomorrow’s first home game of the season against Wycombe Wanderers at the Memorial Stadium.
“You need more than glimpses,” he said. “You need the good moments to be a little more often, a little more consistent, but there were bits and pieces we did well last week.
“I thought we had great width with the two full-backs, we switched play well, we looked after the ball better, albeit we turned over the ball for their two goals. Had we looked after the ball better we would have possibly nullified that.
“The defeat hurt me. I didn’t expect it. I didn’t think we would come away with that result. I was very, very confident going into the game.
“I think the fans were, probably up until 26 minutes into the game. Then we sleep in on a deep freekick, we allow them to take it quick and we make an error.
“But if Ollie Clarke’s chance goes in, rather than off the base of the post, it is a completely different game, so my opinions haven’t changed.”
Added Coughlan: “I thought the six weeks we have done over preseason stood us in good stead and it was positive.
“Yes, the result was poor, but I did think the performance was positive and it gives us a lot to build upon and it showed a lot of what we were working on over pre-season.
“But, like I say, results are the beall and end-all of this business, and if you continue to make mistakes you will continue to be punished.”